India to China by Bus

I know some people go from India to China, but do not clearly know what mode of transport they use. I have seen a thread on the forum, where someone in inquiring about traveling from India to China by car.

Just last year, a new border was reopened to cross between India and China. This is the Nathu La Pass which is a lot safer to travel to than other routes that are open for crossing the border. And most importantly, you can travel by bus to reach the border and from there on reach Kairash Mansarovar Yatra. This is around 56 kms away from Sikkim, which is now the shortest route to get to China. Unfortunately though, it is not open for foreign travellers, it is open only to Indian tourists.

The Nathula Pass is open to visitors five days a week, Wednesdays to Sundays. First, you would need to acquire a permit through the Sikkim Tourism Department in Gangtok. To do this, you would need an authorised travel agent. You must pay Rs 200 per person and you can get your permit the next day. You need the following requirements:

You can travel to Sikkim via bus to reach Gangtok. Then, you'd have to ride another bus to reach Nathula from Gangtok. From there on, you can cross the border only with a rented vehicle from your agency.